Tamil Nadu to administer deworming tablets on Aug 10, 17

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu will administer deworming tablets to 2.06 crore children and youth up to 19 years and 52.44 lakh women aged 20 to 30 as part of a statewide National Deworming Day campaign on August 10, the Health and Family Welfare Department said on Saturday.

The first camp will be held across the state on August 10 from 9 am to 2 pm and the second round on August 17. The camps will be conducted at 54,481 anganwadi centres, 11,723 sub-health centres and 56,483 schools across Tamil Nadu.

As many as 54,481 anganwadi workers, 59,700 school teachers and college professors, 6,543 doctors, 12,456 village health nurses and 2,650 ASHA workers, besides other health personnel, will be involved in the campaign.

Children aged one to two years will be given half a 400 mg albendazole tablet, equivalent to 200 mg, while children and adolescents aged up to 19 years and women aged up to 30 will receive one 400 mg tablet.

The department said albendazole is safe and helps eliminate intestinal worms, while also preventing anaemia and nutritional deficiencies. Deworming can also help improve immunity, physical growth, memory and learning ability, it said.

The Health Department urged parents to ensure that eligible children make use of the camps on August 10 or August 17.

"Let us reduce worm infections and sow the seeds for a prosperous future, " the department said.